Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihue, HI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lihue, HI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,061 in Lihue, HI versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,470 in Lihue, HI versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,880 in Lihue, HI versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Lihue, HI is roughly 142% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lihue, HI is 128% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$46.28 $46.28

$4.70 ฿153

884.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.9 $79.9

$45.37 ฿1,482

76.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.41 $12.41

$8.43 ฿275

47.21%

Cappuccino

$6.85 $6.85

$2.93 ฿95.6

133.79%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$0.69 ฿22.40

275.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.37 ฿11.99

443.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.41 ฿78.6

69.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.72 ฿122

9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.23 ฿72.9

-16.14%

White Bread (500g)

$6.75 $6.75

$1.83 ฿59.8

268.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.17 ฿70.8

31.80%

Eggs

$10.27 $10.27

$2.21 ฿72.3

364.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.33 $15.33

$19.74 ฿645

-22.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.42 $15.42

$3.63 ฿119

324.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 $19.91

$13.53 ฿442

47.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$3.28 ฿107

44.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.61 ฿52.6

1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.55 $8.55

$2.41 ฿78.6

254.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$2.08 ฿68.1

368.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.53 ฿49.93

84.31%

Onion (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$1.48 ฿48.36

306.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.62 $3.62

$0.99 ฿32.29

265.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.51 ฿16.67

311.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.82 $11.82

$4.41 ฿144

168.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.15 $14.15

$19.38 ฿633

-26.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.78 ฿58.1

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.71 ฿88.6

-39.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.37 ฿44.79

43.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 $52.4

$11.39 ฿372

359.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.02 ฿98.6

17.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.99 ฿32.48

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.89 $28.89

$14.10 ฿461

104.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.36 ฿44.51

2.94%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.4K $29.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

4.09%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.6K $25.6K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-22.08%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$184 $184

$122 ฿3,975

51.36%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$30.52 $30.52

$13.57 ฿443

124.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 $55.7

$18.31 ฿598

204.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 $43.21

$60.2 ฿1,967

-28.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$9.24 $9.24

$8.69 ฿284

6.33%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,185 $1,185

$693 ฿22.6K

70.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K $16.1K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

2.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$59.5 ฿1,944

-13.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.67 $40.67

$34.77 ฿1,136

16.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 $86.9

$115 ฿3,743

-24.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$83.3 ฿2,720

31.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,987 $1,987

$613 ฿20.0K

224.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,529 $1,529

$437 ฿14.3K

249.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,613 $2,613

$2,094 ฿68.4K

24.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 $2,197

$1,509 ฿49.3K

45.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,926 $2,926

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-21.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,567 $2,567

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-1.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,007 $2,007

$508 ฿16.6K

294.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.33

21.95%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lihue, HI: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,987 in Lihue, HI and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lihue, HI pays 295% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $80.0 in Lihue, HI vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $538 vs $293 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lihue, HI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 142% lower than in Lihue, HI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lihue, HI pays 295% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,987 in Lihue, HI versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,061 per month in Lihue, HI versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 142% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 360% less than in Lihue, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,061 in Lihue, HI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lihue, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lihue, HI and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in Lihue, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.